I met Vicki Peters the way most of us did, at a trade show. It was the first time she judged my work and after the awards ceremony I asked her for a critique. I was so upset because I worked really hard to make sure there were no air bubbles in my pink and white sculptures and the nails that won had so many. She patiently explained that the winning nails were so good in the other categories that the deductions the competitor received for air bubbles didn’t matter. After the show Vicki became one of my favorite mentors, if not the No.

NAILPRO Competitions for the Worlds Fastest Full Set of Acrylic Sculptured Nails were held April 21, 2013 at NAILPRO Pasadena. There was some confusion with the outcome, as there always is when someone wins using out-of-the-box thinking. Some would call it gaming the rules and some would call it down right cheating.

Fantasy Nail Art is one of our most popular and loved competitions. The competitor, the judge and the spectator thoroughly enjoy it and it’s truly a feast for the eyes if you are a nail aficionado. There’s no way anyone can see this type of artistry and not appreciate the hard work and planning that goes into this competition. Each nail--when done correctly--is a

masterpiece in and of itself and though the work that goes into the nails is a big part, remember that the costume, hair and makeup are just as important.